Where to take my Passat with McNevin gone

Now that McNevin VW is gone, and because I don't want to take my VW Passat to Oakland or Walnut Creek, I would appreciate any comments on what other VW owners in the Berkeley area are doing to service their VWs.
Passat owner Recommended:

Local VW repair shop?

McNevin VW went out of business. Can anyone recommend a good/ honest local auto repair that works on VW's thanks jk

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Looking for good and honest VW mechanic

We just moved to the Bay Area and are looking for a good and honest Volkswagen shop/mechanic. We have a VW Golf. Susana
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Carseat that fits in a Jetta

I am searching for advice on finding a small carseat. My son has nearly outgrown the infant carseat (he's 4months old now) and now I have to get one of the next size carseats. Problem is that I have a small, older VW Jetta. It doesn't even seem like I can fit one of the required carseats into my car behind either seat. Let alone have someone ride in the front without hitting their knees or having anyone else in the back seat with the carseat, I am even worried about being able to see over the carseat (I am pretty short) when it is rear facing. We don't plan on having more kids and budget wise, a larger car isn't an option. So I am looking for suggestions for a smaller carseat that might fit our small car without sacrificing any safety for my son. Is there a brand or model that has worked well for people with smaller cars? anon

Seven years and 2 kids later, I am still singing it's praises! Not only does it have a small profile you can see over in your car, squeese your self between it and another car seat, it is slimmer than most, but, it is also a stroller.

This is so handy for drive, walk, take BART, get a taxi, climb stairs and return. It only weighs 6 pounds.

The stroller wheels are small. I always had a beefy stroller for home to park, but this was/is my car stroller. I have pushed it over muddy grass, gravel, down river banks....I could never sell it in good concience, metal fatigue and all....but I have to say that it has been a very good piece of equipment. I let my 4 year old ride in the seat and 7 year old climb on top of the handle....it bends and groans but keeps folding and is a very comfy car seat.

You do have to be very carefull strapping them in to it. Car seat belts first, then auto seat belt over that & check that it is tight in the grooves. A kiss and you are on your way!

It came with an infant insert and we used it facing backwards when they were babies. Still singing it's praises!

As expectant parents, we're starting to shop for necessities. If you own a VW Jetta and have had a good experience installing a particular carseat in it, please let me know. I appreciate it! Allison

If your car is a station wagon, or a hatchback, you should be able to bring the tether strap over the seat into the back and find a hook in your trunk. This is how I anchor my carseat. I have never heard of anchoring it to the roof, doesn't seem too secure. If you have a regular compact car, you might want to go to a Volkswagen service station. I previously had a Jetta, and it had the anchor already installed in the car (this is when I found out about the tether strap in the first place). Good luck.

Trouble getting engine light problem fixed

Our old VW has been around Berkeley and Oakland in search of a new mechanic. We've followed up on the recommendations here to no avail. We have brought our car with its engine light on to 3 places- one twice. One ''diagnosed'' the problem $100, ''reset the computer'' and told us to come back if it didn't work. When we came back they rediagnosed that problem for $100, told us we didn't need the repair they had recommended last time and told us to come back if it didn't work. We brought it somewhere else and they flat out said they could fix the problem -- which was generous -- and the third place also had never heard of the problem. Although we may go there, we're hesitant.

Good repair shop for our out-of-warranty VW's

I have a 3 year old Jetta station wagon and my husband has a 4 year old Audi sedan. Both the cars' warranties have expired and every time we takethem to the dealer for maintenance it costs a fortune. We have 2 school age children and work in San Francisco and need a local shop that provides good service. Can anyone recommend a good repair shop for VW's and for Audis-preferably one that we can take both cars to? Looking for Mechanics
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Do we have to go to the dealer for VW warranty work?

Does anyone out there know if we have a warranty for a 2002 VW Jetta, do we HAVE to have all the warranty work done at the dealership? We purchased our VW from Broadway Volkswagen, and quite honestly we are not impressed with the service department there and would love to be able to go somewhere else. Thanks! Lisa

Mechanic for 94 Jetta

I have a 94 Jetta that needs some repairs (clutch, brakes, door lock...). I have always taken it to a place in San Rafael, but that's too far to go now. I've checked the archives, but nothing since 2002. Oakland would be best, but anywhere in the area would ok too. Thanks Jeanne
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Mechanic for VW Passat

I am looking for an auto mechanic that works on newer VWs and is relatively inexpensive. i have a 99 passat which has close to 80K miles and is getting to the point where every visit to the dealership I find out something else is wrong. This time, I learned the radiator is leaking. I know the clutch will need to be replaced soon too. I've been to Germany's Best and while they'll give me a lower price than the dealer (if I tell them what the dealer is asking), they certainly never turn away work. I'd like someone who can be honest with me - only do work that is necessary and tell me the pros/cons of doing work at a certain time (e.g. you can probably get another 5K miles on the brakes if you only drive on freeways. if it goes beyond that or you start to hear squealing, you will probably have to pay more to repair the brake pads and metal) andrea

Mechanic for 1965 Beetle

Looking for a good, affordable mechanic for my 1965 VW Beetle. there are some recommendations for VW mechanics on the web site, but not much about older VWs. Also looking for a good body shop to get it painted.

VW Warranty Servicing

After a lifetime of driving only Japanese made cars, we have a new (2002) Passat Wagon and are rapidly approaching the need for our first service. No idea where to go, since we bought our car out of the area. We had a pretty unpleasant experience with Broadway Volkswagen during our purchase search, and would be disinclined to return there unless y'all give their mechanics rave reviews (the archives for this site, however, did not). So, where do you many fellow Passat drivers take your cars when they are still under warranty? We're hoping to find reasonable charges, excellent service, nice, honest people, a Berkeley, N. Oakland or San Ramon location, and one that provides a shuttle to public transportation. Any recommendations to consider for the post-warranty work would be appreciated, too. Thanks! Isabelle

The problem with the VW dealers seems to be the same in both places (McNevin and Broadway). You make an appointment well in advance for a routine tune-up, or some other specific service. They give you a time in the morning to drop your car off. And then you have to wait in line, first come first served, sometimes for 40 minutes in the morning when you're trying to get to work, to just give them the keys and ''sign in''. You can fill out the ''early-bird service'' envelope and put your keys into it and hand it to a service guy, but they are testy when you do this, and there isn't always a place for you to park the car and just leave. Then, when you pick it up, there isn't the service I've come to expect from the likes of El Cerrito Honda, Art's Automotive and Roger Rodriguez's Berekely Auto Service, where the guy who *actually worked on your car* talks to you about what he found, what his general impressions are about next services, etc. They just get your keys and hand you a large bill with chicken scratch for line items.

As for off warranty work with Berkeley Auto Service, we'll keep going, since we absolutely trust Art's recommendation, but I must say I'm a little concerned that they missed the cause of the ABS sensor light problem. I'll be reading other responses to this post carefully to see if there are any alternatives. Driver

Power Loss on 2003 Passat wagon

I have a 2003 Passat wagon which intermittently loses power on acceleration. I can floor the gas pedal and get no response at all for quite a while until the engine suddenly revs and catches and I can move again. This can happen on the freeway, which clearly is a very dangerous situation. It is all the more annoying as we bought the car to drive our new baby around. I have taken it to the dealer twice now. They have managed to duplicate the problem but say their diagnostics all show nothing is wrong and that I should just drive the car until it happens again and then bring the car back and they will look at it again. I am not finding this to be an acceptable solution.

My questions are:

Has anyone had a problem like this with their Passat?

If the dealer says they can't fix it, what then?

What is involved in claiming this car is a lemon under the lemon law? Has anyone successfully done this?

I would check all your fuses under the hood, they should all be in one pl! ace in a fuse box and you should have a diagram in your manual about which fuse goes to what...check it out.. And if the dealership is hassling you about it- take it to another dealership and if that doesn't work and the car is under warranty- talk to whoever you need to talk to about either fixing it (and getting a rental) and/ or getting a diff. car (I''m assuming its a new car)..

If nothing is working and they are giving you hell, then yes I would take them to court or else contact the main people at the head of company (VW) with emails and letters saying what a crappy car you got and how unhappy you are that you aren't getting good service and how bad it is to be driving around a new baby in a potential death trap and if you don't get your needs met then the 6oclock local news will surely be hearing from you...

One thing you might try is to call a place called Griffin Moterwerke which is on San Pablo in Berkeley, 524-7447. They are phenominal with VWs. They only do ''performance'' cars, and I think the owner even drives a 2002 Passat. We've found them to have been able to diagnose and repair issues that were stumping the dealer, as well as finding shoddy work that the dealer had done (brakes). They are really honest and trustworthy and aren't just punching the clock like you might find is the attitude at a dealer service center.

You'll have to pay for their assessment, but you might either be able to get VW to act on the repair based on their diagnosis, or see if they can do the work as a warranty repair...or if it's not to big a thing, just pay and know that it's fixed.